Lake Creek Campmeeting History of the Lake Creek Church Home Page Lake Creek History Campmeeting Photos Historical Photos Lake Creek Church History of the Lake Creek Church Following the first campmeeting in 1843 the Lake Creek Methodist Episcopal Church was organized. It met in area homes at first but a log cabin for the preacher was built that winter and in the spring of 1844, Rev. Sebastian Barth celebrated his first Sunday services on WhitSunday. He states "The whole house was enlightened by the presence of God and twenty souls were converted. The first log church was constructed that year on a half acre site just South of the creek. Within one year the Lake Creek church had a membership of 84 plus 16 preparatory members. In 1851 the church lot was expanded to an acre and a half. Above: A large gathering at the dedication of the new building in 1883. In 1853 the church building was enlarged but no details are known. A cemetary was also begun during these early years and exists at that location today. A second Lake Creek Church building was built in 1856 on land about a mile NorthWest of the first church and near the old Ringen school. Thirty acres were purchased from the Ringen's for the church and campmeeting grounds but the campmeeting was never moved there. The new church was built and also a parsonage. When the railroad was built through Smithton the population on the North side of the creek began to grow rapidly and members bagan to look for a more suitable location for the church and campmeeting grounds North of the creek. On May 23, 1883 it was decided to purchase 20 acres of land from Emma Jackson and the present church building was built that year at the new site. The old church and the 30 acres were sold and a sum of $485 was realized from the sale. The campmeeting continued for several years at the old location until 1891 when the cabins were torn apart and rebuilt along with new cabins at the present site. In 1919 after much discussion an addition to the church was built. The entire building was jacked up and with pick and shovel a new basement was built. Also added at that time was the room called the "German Room" and the vestibule and Bell Tower. A photo of that construction is on the right. Recent remodeling includes the addition of air-conditioning, an elevator, and a new entryway. Pastors of the Lake Creek Church: For a more complete biography on any pastor please request it via e-mail box above. 1839-1840 -- Francis Walkenhorst-(Lay Pastor) 1843-1845 -- Sebastian Barth 1844-1845 -- Heinrich Nuelsen 1845-1847 -- Conrad Eisenmeyer 1845-1895 -- Herman Manken (Lay Preacher) 1847-1848 -- William Schreck 1848-1849 -- Heinrich C. Dreher 1849-1850 -- Jacob Fiesel 1850-1851 -- Wilhelm Neidermeier 1851-1852 -- John Hausam, Sr. 1852-1853 -- Jacob Fiesel 1853-1855 -- Peter Hellwig 1855-1857 -- Heinrich Lahrmann 1857-1859 -- Jacob Maegly 1859-1861 -- Phillip Hehner 1861-1863 -- Civil War -- No Pastor 1863-1864 -- Andreas Holzbeierlein 1864-1866 -- Charles Stuckemann 1866-1869 -- George Schatz 1869-1871 -- Heinrich Hankemeyer 1871-1873 -- John Phillip Miller 1873-1875 -- Leonhard Gottfried Hilmer 1875-1877 -- William Fotsch 1877-1880 -- John C. Meyer 1880-1883 -- John Hausam, Jr. 1883-1886 -- Dan Walter 1886-1888 -- J. H. Dreyer 1888-1891 -- Herman Koepsel 1891-1896 -- Henry H. Hackmann 1896-1900 -- F. H. Wipperman 1900-1901 -- Henry Edward Rompel 1901-1905 -- Ernst Crepin 1905-1909 -- Gottlieb J. Jaiser 1909-1913 -- Gustav F. Meyer 1913-1917 -- Walter Wagner 1917-1921 -- Oscar F. Kettelkamp 1921-1923 -- A. B. Schowengerdt 1923-1927 -- Ernst Crepin 1927-1929 -- Christian Ferdinand Mayer 1929-1936 -- Max Opp 1936-1939 -- Ray Massey Brown 1939-1949 -- Edward Lewis Rathert 1949-1951 -- Hershel Benton Fly 1951-1952 -- Reuben E. Olin 1952-1955 -- Jacob Coleson Paschal 1955-1957 -- Russell Estes 1957-1970 -- Linus Eaker 1970-1973 -- Jerry Moon 1973-1978 -- James McQueen 1978-1985 -- Dwight Bingham 1985-1990 -- Richard A. Seaton 1990-1994 -- Brenda West 1994-2000 -- Robert C. Ewens 2000-2002 -- Bill Siebert 2002-2006 -- Ray Varnado Sebastian Barth -- First pastor assigned to Lake Creek Pastor H. Dreher -- 1848 In front of log cabin parsonage. Website maintained by Richard Seaton